The Washington Commanders are reeling after suffering a 25-24 defeat at the hands of the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football in Week 6. While a slew of injuries has certainly made things difficult, the Commanders could not get out of their own way in their attempt to take down the Bears in their latest contest.
On Tuesday afternoon, there was some big news in the NFL that caught the attention of both Washington and Chicago. That’s because offensive lineman Charles Leno Jr., who spent his entire career with the Commanders and Bears, announced his retirement from the NFL in a heartfelt post on Instagram.
Charles Leno Jr. Retires from the NFL
Leno was selected in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Bears, and not much was expected of him coming out of college. He started out slow, only playing in six games as a rookie, but he continued to develop behind the scenes. Eventually, he earned the team’s starting left tackle job early in the 2015 campaign, and he never looked back.
Over his six seasons as Chicago’s starting left tackle, Leno was a pillar of consistency, as he did not miss a single game during that stretch. He also earned his lone Pro Bowl selection in 2018, which is widely regarded as the best season of his career. After the 2020 campaign, Leno ended up signing with the Commanders in free agency to become their starting left tackle.
In his first two seasons with Washington, Leno was as reliable as ever, but in 2023, his wife suffered a miscarriage, which had a major impact on the veteran offensive lineman. While he still suited up in 13 games, Leno was placed on injured reserve late in December with a calf injury before getting released in March. He hasn’t played a snap in the NFL since then, and on Tuesday, Leno announced his retirement with an emotional post on social media.
“Today, October 14, 2025 at 2:46PM, I’m officially announcing my retirement from the National Football League, but the truth is my heart left the game a long time ago,” Leno wrote as part of his post.
“On October 14, 2023, my wife Jennifer and I experienced the most unimaginable heartbreak. We lost our precious daughter, Paitynn – our fourth baby girl. That day changed everything for me. It changed the way I see life, the way I carry myself, and most of all, it changed what matters most to me.”
Commanders Aiming to Get Back on Track in Week 7
GettyJayden Daniels #5 of the Washington Commanders throws a pass against the Green Bay Packers.
Leno will obviously be remembered most for his seven seasons with the Bears, but he also held down the fort at left tackle for three solid seasons with the Commanders. The fact that Leno was largely able to power through the 2023 campaign despite dealing with this tragedy off the field is quite impressive, and it goes to show just how much of a pro he was.
In the meantime, Washington will be focused on finding a way to get back in the win column after suffering a disappointing loss to Chicago in Week 6. The Commanders will take on a vulnerable Dallas Cowboys team in Week 7 that is fresh off a similarly frustrating loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 6. Getting healthy would help, but even in its current state, Washington should have a good shot to take down Dallas when the two teams square off on Sunday.
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